Gear-drive for seeding-machines.



P. L. HATFIELD.

GEAR DRIVE FOR SEEDING MACHINES.

APPLICATION mm JULY 2e.191s.

.1 ,286 ,6]. 6. Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

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P. L. HATFIELD.

GEAR DRIVE FOR SEEDING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED JULY 26. l9l6. 1,286,616, Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

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' limited spaced position andhousing.

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GEAR-DRIVE FOR sEEDIivG-MAcHInEs.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern." 7

.Be it known .tha-tl, PAUL L. HATFIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Peoria, in the county ofPeoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gear-Drive for Seeding- Machines, ofwhichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to seeding machines.

More particularly, my invention relates to gear members associated with the driving connection from the machine axle to the feed shaft and a breakable pin associated with said gear. v j

The objects of my invention are:

1. To'keep the centers respectively of the driving axle and feed shaft as close together as possible and at the same time be able to use a variable speed gear oflarge-diameter to the end of facilitating a large number of speed changes.

2. To build this gear arrangement so that it.

it is possible and ractical to substitute parts having difierent; t read leads on worm members and different tooth angles on worm wheels, and still retain the same diametrical sizes'and therefore the same center distances betweenthe driving anddriven member of eachgearset so thatsets of gears with varying ratios can be use'd n the one common 'rious parts of the grain feeding devices and of the driving gearing against breakage should any foreign matter become lodged in the feedingdevices. a

4. Other objects. 7

' My invention consists in the formation and .relative arrangement of thegear membersabove'noted including a breakable pin,

'the housing, etc., and to detailed combinations hereinafter more ferred to. v Referring to the drawings:

' Figure 1' is a vertical cross section through the body of'a seeding machine on lines that cut through the casing for the special gear members. V

Fig. 2 is a partial rear view with a part of the feed box broken away. Fig. 3 is a side view of the worm ear and one section of the case therefor, wit a por-' tion of worm gear broken away to show the manner of positioning the breakable pin with relation to the gear members and a sleeve.

particularly I re- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1918.

Application filed July 26, 1916. Serial No. 111,370.

A close association with the seeding machine business for quite a number of years has brought to my knowledge the fact that,

with the improvement in farming methods and the broadening of the marketing field of manufacturersof this type of seeder, the necessity of providing this'type of machine with the broadest possible variation as to quantityof feed has developed.

. This capability of machines has measurably been accomplished by enlarging certain gear members, but the eflect of such enlargement has caused either a raising of the feed box or multiple of mutilations of the same to provide clearance for such gears. I avoid all disadvantages resulting from such modifications and increase by applying my special gear the quantity feed limits beyond the possibility of increase resulting from a reasonable application of the above noted modifications over heretofore standard structures. V

. The variation in the quantity of feed that has heretofore been accomplished by varying the diameters of gear wheels cannot now be practically applied in' view of the present demand for a wider range of variation. I am able to cover this new demand measurably by the use of the worm and worm gear, but am able completely to meet this demand by applying substitute sets of gears that have the, varying leads on the worm and varying angle of the worm wheel teeth,

which sets because of their conforming diameters .are capable of use in the same gear housing without changeand without changing the distance between said gear-centers or driving axle and feed shaft centers. With other forms of gears this substitution could not be made on account of the necessary changes invdiameter of one or both gears of each set without changing the distancebetween said gear centers.

I am not aware of a limiting tension device, as a breakable pin, being applied to a seeding machine and' while I am aware that limiting tension devices are common matters of association with machinery and hence are not broadly new; yet there is the special application herein shown that reaches extremely beneficial results in connection with seeder devices that I consider worthy of patent.

' Referring to the drawings:

' 10 is a seed box; 11 are wheels 12 isan axle; 13 is a disk provided with plural sets 1 a of spurs or gear members,all of said partsv being old and common in the practical art.

Similarly, plural force feed members as 14 'and a squared common driven shaft15 are old. It is common to employ a shiftable gear as 16 ona driven shaft as 17 and working in conjunction with a multiple gear disk 13. Alsoit is commonto providemeans for adjustingagear as 16 by members similar tofratchet arm '18, shiftable 'fork member. 19,'and ratchet pawl 20. I 'Refer ring particularly to devices embraced within my invention: f

.30 i 'sa bracket memberdesigned to be attached to a frame member, or frame members of the seeding machine as, for instance,

, attached to the seed box in the mannershown in Figs. 1 andfi2; 31 is a .casing member forming af partof bracket and 32-issimi- 4 larly a casing member cooperating with worm gear provided with flange member 35 and with hub members 36. This wormgear 34 is housed in casing members 31 and 32,

the hub portions thereof, being journaled in the casing walls of said members' as' best I 3: shown in Fig.3; 37 is a sleeve housed w'ithin-the'worm gear andlts hub extension and undercertain conditions is turnable therein, I

said sleeve having a squared interior openi'ng conformatory to squared shaft member '17, which said squaredrshaft member serves to drive said sleeve continuously, and '38 is-a pin preferably or ,wood that is carried through relatively matching perforations in machine parts.

hub extension and sleeve 37 as best shown in Fig. 3.

v The parts of the'gearingdevice'being arranged in the mann'erbest shownin Fig. 3,

movement of worm wheel 34: serves to drive worm wheel 33, which in turn drives shaft 15-which said shaft being common to all of the feeding devices 14' the \latter will be driven for seeding purposes with speeds varying in proportion to'the variable speed of shaft 15, supplemented by changes of worm and worm wheel sets.

-While the machine is in operation, should any abnormal obstructingmaterial enter the feeding devices in the hopper, the driving connection betweenshaft 17 and worm 34 will beinterrupted by the b'reakingof pin 38, thus safeguarding against breakage of The worm and worm wheel as type of gear offers the advantage of association within very narrow limits as to space. It offers also the advantage of great strength.

V I have shown oneform of embodiment of my device and one means of applying it. However, it may be differently formed and appl ed, of'course", withln reasonable limits without departing from the principle involved. Itherefore, aim to claim all forms and means of applying my device that fall legitimately within the principle disclosed.

' What I claim is: g V

1. In aseeding machine, the combination of a shaft carrying seeding devices, a drive shaft therefor, a, worm wheel r emovably mounted on sand seedlng shaft, a sleeve removably mounted upon, and rotatable with said'fdrivingshafn'a worm engaging said worm wheel fitting "over said sleeve and ro tatable' thereon, and' an engaging member connecting said worm to the sleeve in relation-to permit disengagement of the worm and sleeve under abnormal strain.

2. In a seedingmachina-the combination of, a shaft carrying seedingdevices, a drive 7 shaft therefor, a worm wheel removably mounted on sa 1d seeding'shaft, a 'sleeve removably'mountedupon,and rotatable with, r

said driving shaft, a worm'eng'aging said worm wheel fitting oversaidsleeve and rota table thereon, an engaging member connect- 111g said worm to the slee'vem relation to perunder abnormal strain, and asep'arable housing 'fo'r 'said worm an'd worm wheel related thereto andto the drive and seeding shafts for properly spacing the latterfmember."

mit disengagementflofthe wormand sleeve 3. In a seeding machine, the combination of ashaft carrying seeding devices, a dr-ive shaft therefor, aworm wheel having'projeotmg hubs removablymounted-onsaid shaft,

a sleeve fitted upon and rotatable with the drive shaft, a worm-engaging said'worm wheel lremovably mounted upon said sleeve and rotatable' thereon provided with 'hub members, a separable housing {01; said worm and worm wheelprovided with bearings for:

the hubs of said -members, an. engaging means between said worm and sleeve to cause themunder normal strains to be turned with themovement of thejdrive shaft, but under abnormal strains to be disengaged.

. 4.1a a seeding machine, thecombination ofa shaft carrying the seeding devices, a

polygonal driving shaft 'therefor', a worm wheel removably mounted on said seeding shaft, a sleeve 'mountedupon and rotatable with said driving shaft, a worm engaging said worm Wheel fitting .oversaid'sleeve and rotatable thereon, and a breakable pin extending through said Worm, sleeve andshaft to connect' 'said worm with the shaft and sleeve. i M

5. In a seeding machine, the combination of a shaft carrying the seedingdevices, ;a

squaredriving shaft therefor, a Worm wheel square socket fitted upon and rotatable with having projecting. hubs removably mounted 5 on said seeding ,shaft,i,a sleev'ehaving a the driving shaft, a worm engaging said worm wheel mounted upon said sleeve and rotatable thereon, hubs on said worm, a separable housing for said worm and worm wheel provided with bearings for the hubs of said members, and a breakable pin connecting said .Worm to the sleeve and driving shaft. v

6. In a seeding machine, the combination of a shaft carrying the seeding device, a

square driving shaft therefor, a Worm wheel having projecting hubsremovably mounted on said seeding shaft, a sleeve having a square socket fitted upon and rotatable with the-driving shaft, a worm engaging said worm Wheel mounted upon said sleeve and rotatable thereon, hubs on said worm, said worm and Worm wheel adapted to be readily removed from their respective shafts and re placed by others of like size but different pitch to vary the speed of rotation of the seeding devices, a separable housing closely incasing such worm'and worm wheel as may be used and provided with bearings for the hubs of said members, and a breakable pin connecting said Worm to the sleeve and to the driving shaft.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PAUL L HATFlELD. Witnesses:

LUTHER E. Rosy, l W. V. TEFF'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

